What's happening in Benidorm this month: Benidorm's hotels were 89.8% full in the first half of October, according to the hotel association Hosbec. Coming up: Local Rice Dishes Festival (16 to 25 Oct); Turtle release (Thu 22 Oct); Outlet fair (23 to 25 Oct). Plus 2,223 Benidorm stories from the UK and Irish press since October 2022, in the searchable archive below.
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Benidorm news, October 2026
· Hotels & prices · Checked
Hotels almost full in the first half of October
Benidorm's hotels were 89.8% full in the first half of October, according to the hotel association Hosbec. Two-star hotels ran at 92%, three-star at 91.1% and four-star at 89.5%. British guests made up 45.2% of the total. For the second half of October, 84.2% of rooms were already booked.
What it means for your holiday: October is no longer quiet. If you want a particular hotel for late October or November, book it now rather than waiting for a late deal.
The festival committee announced Penyes Day for Saturday 24 October, a curtain-raiser for Benidorm's patron saint fiestas. This year it includes a mascletà, a daytime firecracker show, at 2pm on the street between Avenida Primavera and the town hall square (Plaza SSMM Reyes de España).
What it means for your holiday: A mascletà is very loud. Bring ear protection for small children, and get there before 2pm for a place.
Outlet fair in the town hall square, 23 to 25 October
When: 23 to 25 Oct
Twenty local shops are selling with discounts of more than 50% at the outlet fair in Plaza SSMM Reyes de España. It opens at 9:30am on Friday 23 October and closes at 9pm on Sunday 25 October, with a DJ set on the Saturday. New this year: three stands selling nearly new cars.
What it means for your holiday: Worth a look for bargains if you are in town that weekend. On the Saturday it is next to the Penyes Day mascletà.
The town hall presented this year's Fancy Dress Party. It is on Thursday 12 November in Rincón de Loix, and more than 30,000 people are expected. The party starts at 2pm, the parade of around 20 floats and dance groups starts after 4pm, and Calle Gerona and Calle Lepanto close to traffic at about 11am.
What it means for your holiday: Taxis cannot reach Gerona and Lepanto once the roads close, so stay within walking distance of Rincón de Loix.
Seven loggerhead turtles that hatched on Levante beach last summer are being released on Thursday 22 October at 11am, in an event run by the council and the Oceanogràfic aquarium. The release is on Poniente beach, opposite Calle San Pedro 34, by the Hotel Marconi. The council invited the public to come and watch.
What it means for your holiday: Free to watch if you are on Poniente that morning. Get there a little before 11am.
A 'digital twin' to count how many people are in town
The council presented a new tool that estimates how many people are in Benidorm at any moment, including residents, hotel guests and day visitors. It combines data such as water and electricity use, waste, mobile phone SIM data, hotel occupancy and the beach-counting system. It cost €140,000 of EU NextGenerationEU money and will be used to plan water, cleaning, security and big events.
What it means for your holiday: Nothing for you to do. It is a planning tool for the council, aimed at busy days and large events.
New water history centre opens in Séquia Mare park
A new interpretation centre about the Séquia Mare and the history of water in Benidorm has opened in Séquia Mare park, and its first school groups have now visited. It is open to the public Tuesday to Friday 9am to 2pm and 4pm to 6pm, Saturday 8:30am to 2pm and Sunday 9am to 2pm.
What it means for your holiday: A short stop away from the beach. It is closed on Mondays, and the council has not said whether entry is free.
First Benidorm cheesecake contest, Sunday 25 October
When: Sun 25 Oct
Benidorm holds its first cheesecake contest on Sunday 25 October at 5pm in l'Hort de Colón. 21 entrants, most of them local restaurants and businesses, compete for a jury prize and a public vote. Entry is open to everyone, and visitors at the tasting can try the cakes and vote.
What it means for your holiday: Anyone can go along that Sunday. The council did not say whether the tasting costs anything.
RTVE named the 18 acts in Benidorm Fest 2027, Spain's contest to choose its Eurovision song. Names include Vicco, Isabel Aaiún and Ladilla Rusa. The semi-finals are on Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 January 2027 and the final on Saturday 30 January, in Benidorm. Public tickets go on sale in November.
What it means for your holiday: Planning a late-January trip? Hotels fill up for the final weekend, so book early and watch for the ticket release in November.
Rice dishes festival in 18 restaurants until 25 October
When: 16 to 25 Oct
The 15th Local Rice Dishes Festival runs from 16 to 25 October in 18 Benidorm restaurants. Each one offers a set menu of €25 to €55 with a local starter, a rice main course, a dessert and a drink.
What it means for your holiday: A fixed-price way to try a proper paella or arroz in October. Ask your restaurant if it is taking part.
The European Commission named Benidorm and Estarreja in Portugal as European Green Leaf 2028 winners, with €200,000 each. The award was announced alongside Zaragoza in the 2028 European Green Cities awards. The jury picked out how Benidorm manages the pressure of mass tourism while protecting its environment.
Two men under investigation after parasailing death
The Guardia Civil formally placed two men linked to a parasailing company under investigation after a 66-year-old British woman died off Benidorm on 10 August. The tow rope broke as a storm came in and she was blown onto rocks; a 47-year-old man was badly hurt. One man is investigated for suspected manslaughter, the other for alleged concealment. An orange weather warning was in force that day and yellow flags were flying on the beaches.
What it means for your holiday: Before any boat-towed activity, check the beach flag and the weather warnings. If a storm warning is out or the flags are up, do not go.
Source: Sur in English, 30 Sep 2026. Checked 22 Oct 2026.
Questions
What is happening in Benidorm this month?
In late October 2026: the rice dishes festival runs until 25 October, the outlet fair is in the town hall square from 23 to 25 October, Penyes Day brings a mascletà on Saturday 24 October and the first cheesecake contest is on Sunday 25 October. The Fancy Dress Party is on Thursday 12 November.
How busy are Benidorm hotels in October?
Hosbec put Benidorm hotel occupancy at 89.8% for the first half of October 2026, with 84.2% of rooms already booked for the second half. British guests were 45.2% of the total.
When is Benidorm Fest 2027?
The semi-finals are on 26 and 28 January 2027 and the final on Saturday 30 January 2027, in Benidorm. Public tickets go on sale in November 2026.
How we put this together
Candidates from our Benidorm press database (Google News UK and Spain editions, harvested since 14 Oct 2026) and a Google News UK pull on 22 Oct 2026; each story below was opened at the source on 22 Oct 2026 to check the date and the facts. We summarise each story in our own words and link to the original. We leave out crime stories about named private people and anything we could not check at the source. This is not a news service: for breaking news, follow the links to the publishers.
